Improved grain-cleaner and smut-machine



-ilnitrd ginie-' .IOHN FERGUSON, lOFy FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters Patent No. 92,809, dated July 20, 1869.

IMPRovED GRAIN-CLEANER arm -sMU'r-MAGHINE.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN` FERGUSON, of FallRiver, of the V`county of Bristol, of the State of Massachusetts, haveinvented Va new and useful or improved Machine for Pearling andCleansing of Wheat or other grain capable of Vbeing treated thereby; andLdo hereby declare the same to be fully described in the followingspecification, and represented in the ac ornpanying drawings.

Ot such drawings- Figure l is a perspective view ofthe machine, as itappears with the upper half or portion of' its cylindercase removed fromthe remainder thereof.

Figure 2 is alongitudinal and vertical section ofthe machine. Y

lFigure 3, a transverse section of the cylinder and its rotary stone. Y

In figs. 1 and 2, A denotes the frame of the machine, therebeingextended through it lengthwise, and sustained by it in suitableboxes, a shaft, which, in fig. 2, is represented at M2, and in iig. 3atAM.

This shaft carries a grindingcylinder or stone, (shown at O2 in fig.2,and at O in iig. 3,) whose pcriphery is fluted or suitably grooved,the same being as shown in section iu fig. 3.

The stone is concentric with and revolved by the shaft whell inoperation, and is arranged within what is-termed the hollow cylinder,(marked Bl in fig. 1, B2 in iig. 2, and B3 in iig. 3,) which is a frameinserted in the said shaft, so as to be capable of being revolved freelythereon, and in a direction opposite to th'at in which the stone isrevolved.

A driving-pulley,12, is fixedon-the shaft M2, to eni, ab'le such shaftto be put i'n revolution by an endless belt, driven by a suitable motor.

Furthermore, a train of gears, G', H', H', and F', arranged asrepresented in tig.1, serves to transmit rotary motion from thedriving-shaft to the hollowv cylinder.

Within the said hollowjcylinder, and arranged about the stem, in manneras-shown in iig. 3, is a series of brushes, (each being marked C1 infig. 1, C2 in fig. 2, and C3 in iig. 3,) they being movable in radialldirections, and suppo1tedagainst springs, as shown atxlin fio. 3.

, In each of these troughs there are placed several' triangulardeectors, pivoted to the trough, and provided with cranks, pivoted to abar.

In g. 1, the bar is shown at E and the cranks at el. In fig. 2, the baris represented at E", the cranks at e2, and the deectors at N2. In iig.3, the bar is shown at E, the cranks at e, andthe delectorsat N3.

In Figure 4, a trough is seen at D, the deilectors l thereof at N4, anda next adjacent brush at 0*.

By means of the bar and the series of cranks of the deilectors, each setof them may have their oblique portions within the trough changed orvaried, as circumstances may require, to cause the grain to be movedslower or faster from end to end of the machine, as circumstances mayrequire.

'.Ihe rotary hollow`cylinder, with its brushes andforamin'ous andcorrugated troughs, and their several series of deilectors, is disposedwithin a suitable case, R, (see iig. 2,) against one end of which thereis arranged a fan-blower, (shown at J in fig. 1, and at J2 in iig. 2.)

The grain enters the case at its opposite end, through a spout, shown ing. 2, with an arrow upon it A conduit, S2,1(see iig. 2,) opening out ofthe said@vv end of the case, extends over'the case, and opens inta, thatof the fan-blower, at or near its centre. f

The lower part of the case Rl is arranged as hoppers, having openings dthrough their lower parts.

- These openings may be provided withvtraps or valves, to opendownwards.

An air-box or conductor, U, formed as shown 1n iig.

2, is arranged against the case Rl andthe fan-blower,

in manner as shown in g. 2.

The case R and-the conductor U communicate by an opening, V, which issituated directly over the airinduct b2 of the conductor.

The said conductor has an educt or dischargingspout, c2, to whose lowcrend a hap-valve, to open downward, may be applied.

' The conductor leads air into the fan-blower case.

The operation of the machine may be thus explained:

The grain, on entering the machine through the spout X, (see fig. 2,)will pass into the space within the hollow cylinder, and-thence into theforaminous troughs, which, as the said cylinder-revolves, will carry upthe grain and deposit it on the stone.

By the conjoint action of the said stone and the selies of brushes, thegrain will be pearled, and much ofthe loose particles and dust willescape through the fine holes of the trough.

The current of air; produced through the case by the fan-blower willcause the dust to be discharged therefrom.

The grain, after being operated on, will drop through the opening V,where it will meet the iurushing current of air passing into'theconductor.

The smut and extraneous matters will be separated from the'gran by thiscurrent, and the y most of such will be drawn into and discharged fromthe fan-blower, the heavier parts passing off through the ednet o?.

VVhztt I claim as my invention in the said machine,

is as follows, viz:

`l. I claim the arrangement and combination of the series of foraminoustroughs and the series of brushes of the hollow cylinder with the rotarystone, all constructed its herein described, and so disposed within atease, provided with zt fam-blower, as to operate therewith,substantially as hereinhefore speoitied.

2.' lho series of deectors within the foraminous troughs and the seriesof brushes of the hollow cylin-

